Is Endometriosis a Qualifying Condition for an Ohio Medical Marijuana Card?
Endometriosis is a painful disorder involving the tissue of the uterus. It affects an estimated ten percent of women at least once in their life, and can be life threatening if untreated. Some women have started to use marijuana as a way to fight the pain and nausea commonly caused by the condition, but does a diagnosis make them eligible for a medical marijuana card in Ohio? If you are interested in medical marijuana and want to find a nearby certified medical marijuana physician, the DocMJ website offers online bookings and a quick survey where you can find out instantly if you pre-qualify for a medical marijuana recommendation!
Right now you can get approved for your Ohio medical marijuana without having to leave the comfort of your own home! If you’re ready to schedule your Telemedicine visit with one of our Ohio medical marijuana doctors, click ‘Get Started’ at the top of our website. You can also schedule your Telemedicine appointment over the phone with a Patient Care Coordinator by calling (877) 899.3626.
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue that usually lines the inside of the uterus grows where it shouldn’t. The name is derived from the word “endometrium”, which is the name of the invasive tissue. In cases of endometriosis, the tissue can be found growing on other parts of the female reproductive system, including the fallopian tubes and ovaries, the bowels, and even on the brain and lungs in very rare cases.
The most common symptom of endometriosis is pain. This can involve more painful cramps during a woman’s period, chronic pain in the area surrounding the site of the endometriosis, and pain during or after sex. Other symptoms include infertility, bleeding between periods, and stomach problems. These problems are caused by a couple of things. The growth of foreign tissue can cause mechanical problems if in or around places that should be able to freely move, the growths may continue to grow over time, exacerbating problems that have already occurred, and the endometrial tissue may react to hormones in the same ways as the tissue in the uterus, meaning it too may bleed during a woman’s period.
The cause of endometriosis is not yet definitively known, but there are several hypotheses. One is that some blood discharged during a woman’s period flows up into the fallopian tubes rather than downwards through the vagina, allowing endometrial cells to enter the pelvic cavity. Another hypothesis states that it is an immune disorder that renders the body unable to recognize endometrial tissue that is growing outside of the uterus. There are also several other hypotheses, but none have been proven.
Endometriosis as a Qualifying Condition
At the time of writing, endometriosis is not a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Ohio. Therefore, having a diagnosis of endometriosis does not make the patient eligible to receive a medical marijuana recommendation. However, severe cases of endometriosis can result in high levels of pain lasting for long periods. Whether this can be diagnosed as chronic pain depends on the individual and prescribing physician.
Could Marijuana Help Endometriosis Patients?
So, while endometriosis is not a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Ohio, it is still worth discussing the possible benefits of marijuana by people with the condition. The first, and likely most obvious, being to fight pain. Cannabidiol, a main cannabinoid found in marijuana has been found to reduce pain and inflammation in users [1]. To do this, CBD acts on both the endocannabinoid system and several other receptors found in the central nervous system.
While the endocannabinoid system and endometriosis may not seem all that connected, researchers have found that endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors are both linked to the condition [2]. Interestingly, the endocannabinoid system was also recently found to be an important part of the female reproductive system and pregnancy [3]. Ultimately, it was found that CB1 receptors were expressed much more in the cystic endometrial tissue versus the healthy tissue, suggesting that treatments that activate the CB1 receptor may be able to be employed with little risk to healthy endometrial tissue.
In Conclusion
Endometriosis is a common condition where the tissue that usually lines the uterus grows in another area. This can include the pelvic cavity, the bowels, and even the brain in rare cases. Symptoms of endometriosis include severe pain, spotting or bleeding between periods, and pain during or after sex. There is no known cause of endometriosis and hypotheses range from it being caused by an autoimmune condition to it being caused by blood carrying endometrial cells traveling away from the uterus. In Ohio, endometriosis is not a qualifying condition, and its diagnosis does not allow a person to receive a medical marijuana recommendation. If you are interested in medical marijuana, and want to speak with a certified physician, DocMJ can help! We offer online bookings, informative articles, and an easy survey where you can find out if you prequalify for a medical marijuana recommendation instantly!
Resources
[1] Use of cannabidiol (CBD) for the treatment of chronic pain
[2] Endocannabinoid involvement in endometriosis
Right now you can get approved for your Ohio medical marijuana without having to leave the comfort of your own home! If you’re ready to schedule your Telemedicine visit with one of our Ohio medical marijuana doctors, click ‘Get Started’ at the top of our website. You can also schedule your Telemedicine appointment over the phone with a Patient Care Coordinator by calling (877) 899.3626.
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue that usually lines the inside of the uterus grows where it shouldn’t. The name is derived from the word “endometrium”, which is the name of the invasive tissue. In cases of endometriosis, the tissue can be found growing on other parts of the female reproductive system, including the fallopian tubes and ovaries, the bowels, and even on the brain and lungs in very rare cases.
The most common symptom of endometriosis is pain. This can involve more painful cramps during a woman’s period, chronic pain in the area surrounding the site of the endometriosis, and pain during or after sex. Other symptoms include infertility, bleeding between periods, and stomach problems. These problems are caused by a couple of things. The growth of foreign tissue can cause mechanical problems if in or around places that should be able to freely move, the growths may continue to grow over time, exacerbating problems that have already occurred, and the endometrial tissue may react to hormones in the same ways as the tissue in the uterus, meaning it too may bleed during a woman’s period.
The cause of endometriosis is not yet definitively known, but there are several hypotheses. One is that some blood discharged during a woman’s period flows up into the fallopian tubes rather than downwards through the vagina, allowing endometrial cells to enter the pelvic cavity. Another hypothesis states that it is an immune disorder that renders the body unable to recognize endometrial tissue that is growing outside of the uterus. There are also several other hypotheses, but none have been proven.
Endometriosis as a Qualifying Condition
At the time of writing, endometriosis is not a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Ohio. Therefore, having a diagnosis of endometriosis does not make the patient eligible to receive a medical marijuana recommendation. However, severe cases of endometriosis can result in high levels of pain lasting for long periods. Whether this can be diagnosed as chronic pain depends on the individual and prescribing physician.
Could Marijuana Help Endometriosis Patients?
So, while endometriosis is not a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Ohio, it is still worth discussing the possible benefits of marijuana by people with the condition. The first, and likely most obvious, being to fight pain. Cannabidiol, a main cannabinoid found in marijuana has been found to reduce pain and inflammation in users [1]. To do this, CBD acts on both the endocannabinoid system and several other receptors found in the central nervous system.
While the endocannabinoid system and endometriosis may not seem all that connected, researchers have found that endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors are both linked to the condition [2]. Interestingly, the endocannabinoid system was also recently found to be an important part of the female reproductive system and pregnancy [3]. Ultimately, it was found that CB1 receptors were expressed much more in the cystic endometrial tissue versus the healthy tissue, suggesting that treatments that activate the CB1 receptor may be able to be employed with little risk to healthy endometrial tissue.
In Conclusion
Endometriosis is a common condition where the tissue that usually lines the uterus grows in another area. This can include the pelvic cavity, the bowels, and even the brain in rare cases. Symptoms of endometriosis include severe pain, spotting or bleeding between periods, and pain during or after sex. There is no known cause of endometriosis and hypotheses range from it being caused by an autoimmune condition to it being caused by blood carrying endometrial cells traveling away from the uterus. In Ohio, endometriosis is not a qualifying condition, and its diagnosis does not allow a person to receive a medical marijuana recommendation. If you are interested in medical marijuana, and want to speak with a certified physician, DocMJ can help! We offer online bookings, informative articles, and an easy survey where you can find out if you prequalify for a medical marijuana recommendation instantly!
Resources
[1] Use of cannabidiol (CBD) for the treatment of chronic pain